Shiona McCallum,<\/span>Senior technology reporter, CES in Las Vegas,<\/span><\/p>\n Liv McMahon<\/span>and<\/span><\/p>\n Emma Calder,<\/span>Technology reporters<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Lego has unveiled Smart Bricks – tech-filled versions of its small building blocks – which it says will bring sets to life with sound, light and reaction to movement.<\/p>\n However, the new product range has got a mixed reaction from play experts, who say it risks undermining what makes Lego distinct for children in an increasingly digital world.<\/p>\n Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, the Danish toymaker’s Smart Play system introduces new electronic components to the classic plastic blocks.<\/p>\n Lego says its new tech-enabled products, launching in March with a new Star Wars set, are its “most revolutionary innovation” in nearly 50 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But Josh Golin, executive director of children’s wellbeing group Fairplay, believes Smart Bricks could <\/b>“undermine what was once great about Legos” – harnessing children’s own imagination during play.<\/p>\n He said the toy did not require extra features to generate sounds or other effects.<\/p>\n “As anyone who has ever watched a child play with old-school Legos knows, children’s Lego creations already do move and make noises through the power of children’s imaginations,” he told the BBC. “<\/p>\n Andrew Manches, professor of children and technology at the University of Edinburgh, agreed the beauty of Lego lay in “the freedom to create, re-create, and adapt simple blocks into endless stories powered by children’s imagination”.<\/p>\n But he also welcomed Lego’s efforts to integrate physical and digital play with tools that react to the way children interact with its Smart Play products.<\/p>\n Julia Goldin, the company’s chief product and marketing officer, previously told the BBC it viewed digital technology as an opportunity to “expand physical play and physical building”.<\/p>\n “We don’t look at the digital world as a threat,” she said – adding its smart range weaves interactivity “seamlessly” with its physical products.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Lego says its Smart Bricks can sense motion, position and distance, allowing the models to respond in various ways during play.<\/p>\n Measuring 2×4, the brick itself contains sensors, lights, a small sound synthesiser, an accelerometer and a custom-made silicon chip enabling it to detect movement and react to it.<\/p>\n But it is designed to be used with Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags tiles – two additional products making up Lego’s Smart Play System.<\/p>\n Similarly adapted from existing Lego components, these possess digital identifiers triggering different sounds or reactions when they detect and interact with each other.<\/p>\n For instance, when tried out by the BBC at CES, a Lego birthday cake recognised when its “candles” were blown out – sounding a cheer and a happy birthday song.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a Lego helicopter made whooshing sounds when moved or rotated, with its Smart Brick lighting up red upon crashing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tom Donaldson, head of Lego’s Creative Play Lab, said the tech intended to respond to children’s actions and complement the way they naturally play.<\/p>\n He said the Smart Brick’s reactions to responses would “hopefully inspire and surprise the user to keep them continuing to play”.<\/p>\n “We are building a platform that we want to last for many years,” he said.<\/p>\n Prof Manches told the BBC reduced cost and size of components has “enabled more toymakers to integrate digital technology seamlessly into a range of toys”.<\/p>\n But he added despite exciting innovation, concerns remain about the security and privacy of new and emerging smart toys for children – particularly those which integrate AI. <\/p>\n “The key is to us all to remain critically reflective of the design of these toys, and to pay much attention to how they influence children’s everyday lives,” he said.<\/p>\n It is not the first time Lego has dabbled in digital experimentation or sought to appeal to increasingly online audiences.<\/p>\n Since 2017 it has released augmented reality apps and experiences letting people play with computer-generated models layered over their surroundings.<\/p>\n Through collaborations with video game publishers such as Nintendo and Fortnite-maker Epic Games it has also looked to appeal to fans of trending games or new launches – releasing a Super Mario Minifigure in 2020 with a tiny display screen.<\/p>\n Lego chief executive Niels B. Christiansen said in the firm\u2019s 2024 annual report it had accelerated spending on digital technology as a “strategic area” for the company.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"AFP](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/32fb\/live\/ee3d5460-eaf1-11f0-8a5c-81e1c85f6b52.jpg.webp\")
AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nWhat are Lego Smart Bricks?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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